Two Music Educators’ Resistance to Competition

Competition is a common practice in school bands and professional music education organizations. The purpose of this study was to describe the retrospective accounts of two high school band directors’ agency during a period of their active resistance to competition. We sought to verify and supplement their recollections with the lasting memories of multiple stakeholders involved in their programs. Research questions were: (a) What led two band directors to minimize competition and create a noncompetitive concert festival for their students? and (b) What ecological elements were salient in their agency? We collected data through interviews and document review, and we used Priestley et al.’s (2015) ecological approach to examine teacher agency as an emergent phenomenon. Themes included paradigm shift, disillusionment with the status quo, and nurturing, trusting relationships. A prescribed repertoire list, dissatisfaction with state adjudicators, and personality traits of nonconformity and open mindedness fueled the two educators’ disillusionment. We provide implications for music educators, music teacher educators, and professional organizations.